hough he stood in the penumbra and
at half the room's length away. "Tatty--if my lord permit and
Lieutenant Hanmer be willing--"

She stood up, and with a curtsy to Sir Oliver, swept to the door.
Miss Quiney pattered after; and Mr. Hanmer, with a bow and hand lifted
to the salute, stalked out at their heels.

"I'll warrant Jack Hanmer 'd liefer walk up to a gun," swore Captain
Harry as the curtain fell behind them. "He bolts from the sight of
Sally. I'll make Sally laugh over this." But here he pulled himself up
and added beneath his voice, "I can't tell her, though."

The road as it climbed above the town toward Sabines grew rough and full
of pitfalls. Even by the light of the full moon shining between the
elms Miss Quiney's chairmen were forced to pick their way warily, so
that the couple on the side-walk--which in comparison was well paved--
easily kept abreast of them.

Ruth walked with the free grace of a Dryad. The moonlight shone now and
again on her face beneath the arch of her wimple; and once, as she
glanced up at the heavens, Mr. Hanmer--interpreting that she lifted her
head to a scent of danger, and shooting a sidelong look despite
himself--surprised a lustre as of tears in her eyes; whereupon he felt
ashamed, as one who had intruded on a secret.

"Mr. Hanmer."

"Ma'am?"

"I have a favour to beg. . . . Is it true, by the way," she asked
mischievously, "that to talk with a woman distresses you?"

"Ma'am--"

"My name is Ruth Josselin."

Mr. Hanmer either missed to hear the correction or heard and put it
aside. "Been at sea all my life," he explained. "They caught me
young."

Ruth looked sideways at him and laughed--a liquid little laugh, much
like the bubbling note of a thrush. "You could not have given an answer
more pat, sir. I want to speak to you about a child, caught young and
about to be taken to sea. You are less shy with children, I hope?"

"Not a bit," confessed Mr. Hanmer. He added, "They take to me, though--
the few I've met.

"Dick will take to you, for certain. Dicky is Sir Oliver's child."

"I didn't know--" Mr. Hanmer came to a full stop.

"No," said Ruth, as though she echoed him. "He is eight years old
almost." Her eyes looked straight ahead, but she was aware that his had
scanned her face for a moment, and almost she felt his start of
reassurance.

"So, the child being a friend of mine, and his father having promised
him a cruise in the _Venus_, you see